With the Sportster, Harley-Davidson tried to catch up with the competition from England after the Second World War, who dominated the market with their light and fast motorcycles. Time was of the essence, which is why a new design was out of the question. In 1984, after a few difficult years, the new design was launched. The Sportster also became a success in Europe, despite smiling Harley enthusiasts. This is now a thing of the past, as the outgoing Sportster is not Euro 5-compliant. This article tells the story of this legendary motorcycle and shows the development of the model in many pictures.